MLB reporter Ken Rosenthal doesn't believe the Red Sox front office can field a competitive enough team this year

The Boston Red Sox finished last place last season, their second such finish in the last three years. Even with a trip to the ALCS off a Wild Card berth in the middle of that, it's hard to be excited about their team this year.

That is even more true after they struck out on re-signing fan favorite Xander Bogaerts and don't appear to have a direction.

MLB reporter Ken Rosenthal isn't sure the team has enough time to field a competitive team this year. To pass the competitors in the American League East, perhaps the best division in baseball, they have a lot of work to do.

Rosenthal asks:

"Can they build a team that will contend again in one of baseball's toughest divisions in a matter of weeks here with most of the best free agents gone? I'm skeptical. I'll admit it. I am skeptical of whether the Red Sox can accomplish what they want to."

He continued, admitting that there is still time for Boston to turn it around:

"But at the same time, the off-season is not over. [Chaim] Bloom is being aggressive on a number of fronts and let's say, for example, they wind up with [Carlos] Correa, [Nathan] Eovaldi, plus a few other players that would really make a difference. Well, then you're looking at an entirely different equation."

That is true. However, given that two of the best free agents available are both shortstops (Correa and Dansby Swanson) and they elected not to meet the price tag for their own shortstop (a tag that will be less than Correa's), those players are unlikely.

The Red Sox did not re-sign Bogaerts

Everyone else isn't as premier of a talent, which means they won't help the Sox turn it around any better. As Rosenthal mentioned, there is still time, but it is getting late early in Boston.

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Who should the Boston Red Sox sign this year?

The Red Sox already brought in Masataka Yoshida and Kenley Jansen. They still need a middle infielder (preferably a second baseman so Trevor Story can play shortstop again), a catcher and a lot of pitching.

Unfortunately, the catching market is thin. Gary Sanchez could see a resurgence in Boston and Omar Narvaez is an intriguing option.

Jean Segura plays second base, as does Adam Frazier. Those two are probably the best available at that position.